Need 45 acp load advice

[USMC87]

I loaded for my ruger 45 acp this evening and had to seat at a depth of 1.215 to chamber right, Cast bullet sized .452 and powder charge of 10.4 gr of AA#7 which is one grain below max. Do you think this depth is ok?

[Vindicated]

I've always been taught to start at max OAL (1.275") and then continue to shorten just enough so it chambers in your barrel and to double check the round by inserting it into a case gauge. It varies a lot by bullet type (wad cutter, semi-wad cutter, etc) with the wad and swc usually having the shorter OAL, often around 1.200 - 1.250 being vary common. The longer the OAL the less the pressure, so if you can get away with longer that would be the safer route.

Have you already worked up from the minimum load?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

If you're using the "fat nosed" Lee 452-228-1R, that's par for course.
But if you using something else, probably not.
Jon

[USMC87]

Yeah it's the fat nosed lee 452-228 rn bullet, I kept shortening until it chambered.

[Jupiter7]

Had same here, ended up at 1.22.

[USMC87]

Shot em today, They group,Chamber and cycle really good. I'm not real happy with the seat depth but I guess I'll have to live with it.

[runfiverun]

that's how you have to deal with cast.
make a dummy or two and make sure they chamber and feed properly.
then start your load work-up.

you ain't gotta like it, but I guarantee that you'll like it a lot less if the gun don't work.